The February 8th, 2008 New York Times, carried the obituary of Ruth Stafford Peale, the widow of Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, best known as the author of “The Power of Positive Thinking.”The obituary quotes Ruth Peale as saying that her husband, who died in 1993, “grew discouraged after his book, ‘The Power of Positive Thinking’ was rejected by publisher after publisher.” Norman Vincent Peale at one point actually threw the manuscript away only to have it retrieved by his wife who “insisted he try one more time.” Eventually, of course, the book was published in 1952 and “has sold more than 20 million copies in 42 languages.”

Now here’s the part I found fascinating: “I don’t have as much self doubt as he did,” Ruth Peale said.

Ruth Peale, wife of the “father” of positive thinking, had less self doubt than her husband!?!?

This reminded me that to live is to have doubts. The true genius of Norman Vincent Peale was that, in spite of self doubt and discouragement he continued to pursue his dreams of bringing “positive thinking” to the world.

As Thoreau reminds us, “If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with success unexpected in common hours.”

It is heroic to keep going even as we are facing doubt and discouragement.

And, of course, it helps to have a good woman/man behind us to retrieve our manuscripts from the trash.